


Closer

by ElsieIvy



Category: Batman (Comics), Red Hood: Lost Days, Red Robin (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Drug Use, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-12
Updated: 2016-02-03
Packaged: 2018-02-25 02:21:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2605052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElsieIvy/pseuds/ElsieIvy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU  Tim Drake has always been willing to do anything for his family.  Being a Meta doesn't change that but it does change what they expect of him.  Tim can feel and diagnose injuries with a touch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. These Are Days

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically just a little AU drabble. I might try writing some more stuff in this universe depending on how inspired I feel.
> 
> For the purposes of this story Dami is in his early teens, Tim is around 20, Jason is in his early 20s, and Dick is in his mid to late 20s. There's a far amount of tension but they all get along much better than in canon. This is AU obviously, but closer to prereboot than New52 as far as backstories and personalities and such. I guess that's all you need to know.
> 
> Oh, and of course none of these characters are mine.

“The hell is wrong with you Dickie?” Jason exclaimed. “The kid’s dead on his feet. I’m sorry the Brat’s hurt, but he’s stable right? Can’t this wait until morning at least?”  
  
Dick’s expression wavered as he took his eyes off of Damian’s still form and fixed them on Tim who was leaning heavily against the cave wall.  
  
“I’m okay,” Tim interjected. “Really.”  
  
“You’re really not,” Jason argued. “Go upstairs, get some sleep and we’ll see how things are in the morning. They might not even need you to do this. Please?”  
  
Tim laughed weakly. “You worry too much.”  
  
Jason glared as Tim approached the cot where Damian lay. Tim took a deep breath and pressed his hands against Damian’s bare chest. Jason just barely managed to catch Tim as he collapsed.  
  
“Talk to me Baby Bird,” Jason coaxed, brushing hair off of Tim’s pale forehead.  
  
Tim gasped, struggling for air. “Um… three broken ribs, concussion, there’s uh, internal bleeding. Spleen most likely. Gonna need surgery ASAP.”  
  
“I’ll get him to Leslie,” Dick said. “Tim? Thank you.”  
  
Even through the pain Tim noticed how Dick failed to make eye contact.  
  
“I’m getting you to bed,” Jason muttered, attempting to pick Tim up.  
  
“I can walk,” Tim argued, pushing Jason away. He made no move to get up himself though.  
  
“This is bullshit,” Jason muttered. “Would it kill them to just go to the doctor in the first place?”  
  
“It’s a risk, going to the doctor. It’s always a risk,” Tim reminded him. “Help me up.”  
  
Jason shook his head and hauled Tim to his feet. “I know you think you owe them something, but you don’t. You really don’t.”  
  
Tim shrugged and let Jason lead him up the stairs into the manor. Jason could see how much focus Tim is putting into just not falling on his face.  
  
“It was a good night though, huh?” Tim murmured.  
  
Jason had to grin at that. “You were amazing. I almost feel bad for anyone on the wrong end of that bo. Almost.”  
  
Tim smirked.  
  
Jason carefully guided Tim into his old bedroom and laid him on the bed before curling up next to him. “How bad are you hurt?”  
  
“I’m okay,” Tim promised. “Just tired.”  
  
Jason shook his head. He knew a lie when he heard one. He also knew better than to call Tim on it.  
  
“Damian’s in rough shape,” Tim said. “He should be okay though with surgery.”  
  
“Demon’s don’t die. Of course the brat’ll be fine,” Jason said.  
  
Tim laughed weakly. “Do you think Bruce will come back to see him?”  
  
“Dunno. Depends how busy his Batman Inc crap is.”  
  
Tim nodded his eyes drifted closed.  
  
Jason pulled Tim closer to his chest and tried to sleep himself.


	2. Into the Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it isn't clear these aren't in chronological order. This takes places during Under the Red Hood (so before the previous chapter.)

“Can you see mental injuries?” Bruce asked.  
  
Tim looked up from the computer monitor in surprise. He was used to Bruce’s abrupt manners, but he hadn’t even realized that the older man was in the cave.  
“I don’t,” he replied.  
  
“But can you?”  
  
“He said he doesn’t do that, B. Is that answer enough?” Dick limped over and joined them.  
  
Tim raised his eyebrows at the crutches and cast but Dick gave him a reassuring smile and a ‘it’s nothing’ hand wave.  
  
“Why do you want me to?” Tim asked. A large portion of the rogues in Gotham had clear psychiatric issues but Bruce had never asked him to look at them before. Anyway, Tim doubted he could do anything to help them even if he was able to see what was wrong.  
  
“It’s a special case,” Bruce said. “Maybe if we know the problem we can fix it.”  
  
“Mental health issues aren’t that simple…” Tim started.  
  
“This isn’t an order. It’s a favor.”  
  
Tim was silent. He knew something was wrong. Bruce had been finding excuses for him to work with the Titans instead of patrolling Gotham. Dick had been around more and seemed to have pushed aside his issues with Bruce. Now Dick was injured. Batman didn’t ask for favors, but he was doing it now.  
  
“Okay,” Tim said.  
  
BMBMBMBMBMBMBMBMBM  
Jason fought against the cuffs on his wrists. “Let me guess, gonna throw me in Arkham? You know I’ll be out in a month. That’s how it always goes when you catch the bad guy, doesn’t it?”  
  
“I’m not sending you to Arkham,” Batman said as he roughly pulled Jason into the back of a nondescript beige van. “I’m taking you home.”  
  
“You’re kidding right? I show up, try to kill you, hurt your precious Golden Boy…”  
  
“I’m fine,” Dick said cheerfully from the driver’s seat of the van.  
  
“And you just take me home?” Jason finished, ignoring the interruption.  
  
Batman pushed Jason onto the bench seat and checked him again for weapons.  
  
“Nightwing, we’re good to go.”  
  
“You got it boss.” The van speed off.  
  
BMBMBMBMBMBMBM  
Tim sat in the study waiting anxiously. Bruce wouldn’t hurt him, not intentionally, but Tim was also well aware that empathy wasn’t one of his mentor’s strong suits. Tim just wished he understood why this was so important. Bruce hated letting Tim use his powers; they were only a last resort. Why was this case so different? Tim tried to focus on his book but he’d reread the same paragraph three times.  
  
Dick poked his head in, already back in his civvies. “We’re home.”  
  
Tim nodded, placing the book down and rose to follow his brother down to the cave.  
  
“You can still say no if you need to,” Dick said, gently.  
  
“It’s okay. He wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”  
  
“No, he wouldn’t.”  
  
The entered the cave and Tim froze upon seeing the unmasked man strapped to the gurney in the med bay. Tim had spent years taking pictures of him. He recognize him anywhere.  
  
“He’s dead,” Tim whispered, stepping back.  
  
On the gurney Jason smirked and cocked his head towards Tim. “I know you. I’ve seen pictures. What do you think, Replacement? Have reports of my death been greatly exaggerated?”  
  
Tim looked to Dick in askance.  
  
“We don’t know what happened,” Dick said. “That’s Bruce is asking you to help.”  
  
“I don’t read minds,” Tim reminded him uncertainly.  
  
“Robin, are you ready?” Bruce asked.  
  
Tim flinched at the code name. He wondered if Bruce was talking to him or Jason. Neither were in costume.  
  
Tim laid his hand over one of Jason’s. His eyes went wide and locked briefly with Jason’s. Then Tim pulled his hand away and fled.  
  
“The hell?” Jason asked. “Sure know how to pick’em huh Bruce?”


	3. Into the Dark Part II

Jason stared warily at the teenager in the doorway. He hadn’t seen him since his first night back in the manor. Instead he’d been forced to spend the past month staring at his old wall paper while being kept company by Bruce and his glares and Dick and his pathetic jokes.  
  
“So what’s your deal kid? You gonna try to hold my hand and then freak out again?” Jason asked, sitting up in bed.  
  
He was rewarded with a blush and an eyeroll. “Sorry. For being weird. And for… you know.”  
  
“Pretend I don’t,” Jason said. He’d been cooped up in the manor, cuffed to the bed anytime he was out of Dick or Bruce’s sight. Making small talk with the crazy replacement seemed like as good a source of entertainment as anything else available.  
  
The kid bit his lip and looked Jason in the eyes. “I’m sorry about how dead your fish are.”  
  
Jason snorted. “I don’t have a clue what you’re on about, but I think I like you. You make me look like the sane one.”  
  
“Glad I could help?”  
  
“So you gonna tell me what that whole show down in the cave was before?”  
  
Tim sank down into the chair next to Jason’s bed. “Bruce thought maybe I could help. But I can’t.”  
  
“Help?”  
  
“It’s complicated.”  
  
“I got nothing but time here kid.”  
  
Tim sighed. “When I touch someone, if I want to I can feel where they’re hurt. It’s a pretty stupid superpower. I can’t heal them or anything. I just can feel where they’re hurt. Sometimes it’s helpful if they’re unconscious or something, or if we have to do triage, but that’s about it. Bruce thought maybe I’d be able to tell what happened to you and then he could…”  
  
“Could what, ‘fix me’?”  
  
“Basically,” Tim admitted. “It doesn’t work that way though.”  
  
“So what did you feel?”  
  
Tim looked away, avoiding Jason’s eyes.  
  
“Oh,” Jason muttered quietly. “Shit. I’m sorry kid. I’dda given you a heads up if I knew what you were doing.”  
  
“I’m fine. Really. It doesn’t last for too long.”  
  
“Can you feel good stuff?”  
  
Tim shook his head. “Just pain.”  
  
Jason laughed. “That is a pretty stupid superpower.”  
  
“Told you so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this takes place about a month after chapter 2. 
> 
> The bit about dead fish is a reference to Hyperbole and a Half. It's a pretty great web comic and "Depression Part Two" is probably the best thing I've ever read about mental illness. Definitely check it out if you haven't seen it before.


	4. Long December

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little Christmas snippet. This is set after Chapter 1

Jason crept into his apartment as quietly as he could at the end of his patrol. He hoped Tim was sleeping peacefully. Instead he found him curled on the window seat, staring out at the snow.  
  
“Pretty out there tonight. The snow didn’t turn gray yet,” Jason said.   
  
Tim turned, smiling at his boyfriend. “I’m glad you’re back. It was okay?”  
  
“It was fine. Quiet. Too cold for the criminal element.”  
  
“I still wish I’d been there.”  
  
“Look Babybird, I’m not saying you’re not indispensable, ‘cause you are, but even you can take a few days off occasionally.”  
  
“I’m not even really sick anymore,” Tim objected.  
  
“Bullshit. You had strep throat, walking pneumonia, and a double ear infection. You’re not going anywhere for at least another week. And don’t tell me you didn’t know you were sick, knowing that kind of thing is kind of what you do.”  
  
Tim’s cheeks were pink. Jason wondered if it was from guilt or fever.  
  
“I was okay. I just didn’t have a chance to get to the doctor. I was going to go…”  
  
Jason shook his head. “You’re twenty-one. Learn how to take care of yourself. Learn how to say no.”  
  
“So you’re still mad?” Tim asked. He sighed, the sigh turning into a cough.  
  
“I’m not mad; I’m frustrated. And I’m worried. And you’re sick. So we’ll drop it for now.”  
  
Jason dropped down next to Tim on the ledge and wrapped his arms around him, being careful of his chest. Jason stared out as he felt Tim relax into his arms.  
  
Jason shook his head. The city was a mess. His boyfriend was sick, in more way than one Jason suspected. And they’d both been too busy and distracted to buy presents or even put up a tree. Despite all that, it was the best Christmas Jason had ever had.

  



	5. Hedgehogs

Tim gritted his teeth and continued sparring. The migraine that he’d been trying to avoid all day was coming on in full force. Interacting with Damian tended to do that.   
“Really Drake? That’s all you’ve got?” Damien sneered, knocking Tim onto the mat.  
Tim could feel the pulsing behind his eyes as he pulled himself to his feet.   
“Some of us have work in the morning,” Tim shot back. “Remember your dad’s company that he has me run?”  
Damian looked unimpressed but didn’t push the issue.  
Tim started changing back to his civilian clothes, not bothering to shower first. He desperately wanted- no, needed- to get home and in bed in a dark room. Already the hum of computers in the cave sounded far too loud and he could feel the aching in Damian’s back. Having the migraine play with his normal senses was bad enough, but its impact on his meta senses made things intolerable. Feeling pain and hurt from across a room whether he wanted to or not was the last thing Tim needed when his stomach was already churning. Tim only got a few migraines a year but that was more than enough for him.  
The drive home was miserable as every street light seemed to attack his eyes, but at least he was alone and the pain was his own.  
Tim stumbled into his apartment. It wasn’t often that he hoped Jason wouldn’t be home, but this was one of those times. And of course it was one of the few evenings when Jason wasn’t out. Instead, Jason was stretched out on the couch, an ice pack pressed against his face.  
“Oh God,” Tim muttered, racing to the bathroom.  
Tim leaned his head against the toilet, begging his stomach to calm.  
“Babybird?” he could hear Jason calling, through the door. “You okay?”  
“Just a headache,” Tim insisted. “You shouldn’t be up, you have a concussion.”  
“You knew that from that far away? Sounds more like a migraine than ‘just a headache’.”   
Tim grunted, not bothering to give a proper answer.  
“I can stay at one of the safe houses tonight, let you have this place to yourself,” Jason offered.   
“Don’t be stupid, you’re hurt. You’re not running around the city right now.” Tim took a deep breath. “Um, can you go back to the couch? I’m gonna go crash in the bedroom.”  
“Shit, even this is too close? I’m sorry.” Tim could hear Jason’s voice moving farther away.  
Tim slowly trudged to the darkened bedroom. He lay down on the bed, wishing for Jason’s arms around him, even as he knew how painful that would be. Hedgehog’s dilemma in the rather literal sense he thought sleepily as he wrapped his arms around himself.   
“I love you Babybird,” he heard Jason call from the living room.  
“Love you too.”


	6. 100 words

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is just a little 100 word thing that I thought of as a sort of sequel to the previous chapter. Maybe I'll write more on that or maybe I'll just to a different time period next. I'm not quite sure. Heads up this chapter has drug abuse in it.

Tim’s migraines had been getting more frequent. It killed Jason. It was bad enough knowing that he couldn’t make Tim feel better, but knowing that he was actively hurting him? That was too much. Jason sighed and grabbed the pill from the bottle. He wasn’t going to make a habit of this, of taking opiates for minor aches and pains. It was NOT going to be a habit and Jason was not going to be his mother. It was just that right now this was what he had to do for Tim. Tim just needed to never know about it….


End file.
